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Religio Seluciana
wip Religio Selucia (Selucian for "Selucian Religion"), also known as Cultus Deorum, is an indigenous and polytheistic Selucian religion. The Selucian Religion is most notable in its contractual practice, in that dogma and faith are irrelevant within the Religio, whereas the proper practice of ritual and sacrifice is essential in securing the gods' favour, following a principle of do ut des ("I give that you may give"). Religio Selucia is not a single organized faith, and there is much diversity in belief and practice from region to region and even from one individual to another. Over the centuries, the Religio has received many foreign influences from other polytheistic religions, such as that of the ancient Kalopians or ancient Cildanians, as well as from Qedarite religions, primarily Hosianism. History Divinities The Selucian Religion has 27 main gods and lots of minor gods and spirits - collectively known as the Divine Pantheon. The gods are pooled in groups of three each. *The first group contains the three gods for the state (Di Civiles): Sol Lucidus, Terra Mater and Neflons who represent the sun, the earth and the water respectively. *The second group contains the three gods for growth, breeding and health (Di Augusti): Genitrix, Luna and Munius, who represent fertility, hunting, and healing, respectively. *The third group contains the gods of trade, luck and war (Di Populares): Negotius, Mercuria and Mamors. *The fourth group deals with matters of the islands of Korgana and Kal Serathi but is also present on the other islands. These gods handle matters of wine (and other alcoholic drinks), crops and manufacturing (Di Ubertatis): Orgius, Nuptia and Mentia. *The fifth group deals with matters of the island of Uleroth. These gods, also more or less represented in other provinces, handle matters of love and gardens, ethics and sea ports (Di Amoris): Futua, Ustula and Clavus. *The sixth group deals Shadaran matters, though, as with the other groups, you can also find them on the other islands. Stock farming and death, flowers and gardens as well as of the beginning and ending (Di Initii ac Finis): Deus Pater, Floralia and Hiatus. *The seventh division contains gods for newly-born Ops, fruits and gardens Pomona, and for woods and mineral springs Feronia. *The eighth group consists of Carna for homeostasis, Pales for the willow and herders and Consus for the harvest. *In the ninth group are the gods Vertumnus for the seasons, Volcanus for fire, iron and blacksmiths and Apollo, the patron of herds, musicians and artists. Further there are many ghosts and spirits who influence the Selucian daily life: *Laeses (also called Genii Loci) are Selucian deities protecting the house and the family - household gods. They are deeply venerated by Selucians through small statues, usually put in high places within the house, far from the floor. Types of Laeses include: **'Laeses Familiaris' - family **'Laeses Loci' - for a certain place (the family house) **'Laeses Publici' - (small) town **'Laeses Compitales' - crossroads **'Laeses Paganales' - villages **'Laeses Permarini' - the sea **'Laeses Rurales' - land **'Laeses Viales' - travellers *In Selucian mythology, the Manes are the souls of deceased love ones. As minor spirits, they were similar to the Lares, Genii and Di Penates. They are also called the Di Manes (Di meaning "Gods"), and Selucian tombstones often include the letters D.M., which stood for dis manibus, or "dedicated to the Manes-gods". The word is also used as a metaphor to refer to the underworld. *'Di Penates' or briefly Penates are originally patron gods (really geniuses) of the storeroom and are household gods guarding the entire household. *'Lemures' mark the dead spirits in Selucia generally. The good were considered as lares (see above), the bad as larvae and the neutral as manes. Lemures are those, which had not gotten an appropriate burial place or had committed criminal offences during lifetimes. *The Larvae are usually dead spirits of people who haunt and harm. Their appearance is skeleton-like and their effect is similar to the Greek nekydaimones. They agonise the dead ones exactly the same as the living persons, which they can cause delusions. A person with delusions is called Larvatus. Because they are spirits of the underworld, Selucian people sacrifice only at night to them.